The Rider and the Raven
by AmuletofMara
Summary: In Rohan, stories of dragons, princes, and wizards were purely fictional; nothing but a fairy tale. Through dragon-fire and cold mountain winds lies the Kingdom of Erebor. Alís learns that her roots may lie in Rohan, but her dwarven side calls to the mountain.
1. Peas

A firm knock sounded at the door causing Alís' grip on her book to falter. It toppled to the ground with a thud. She hastily picked it up and placed it on the chair she had been sitting on.

The hour was late, she had arrived home from her post not two hours prior. She knew something must be wrong.

What had her infraction been, the incident at the stables? The stable hand had it coming, he knew better than to touch a guard in that manner. She hoped he'd be nursing that black eye for a good week.

She swung open the door to be faced with an old man. The surprise was clear on her face when she laid eyes on him.

He wore a grey cloak with a matching hat. He stood at twice her height, his hat adding to it.

Surely this man was not coming to get her into trouble, but the look in his eyes said otherwise.

"Can I help you?" Alís inquired.

"Ah, yes, I think you can." He spoke, taking his pipe out of his mouth.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" She hadn't recalled meeting this old man before.

"No, I'm afraid not. But I do know you, Alís, Daughter Of Thurmon. A Rider of Rohan. I know much about you. I am inquiring about a quest." He cleared his throat.

"A quest? What for?" The thought of leaving Edoras was absurd, but she couldn't help but have a pull to see what was beyond the familiar plains of Rohan.

"Alís, who is at the door?" Her mother walked in from the other room. She stood shorter than Alís, her intricate hair clasps clinked as she walked towards the door.

Alís' dwarven bearing was no surprise once you took a look at how similar the two were. Her mother always spoke of how she looked like her father, but she knew she looked equally like her mother.

"How rude of me to not introduce myself. I am Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey." He bowed his head slightly.

"Why do you want me for this quest? Surely you could find a man in the city that would be of much more use. I am a city guard, not an adventurer." She did wonder why they would call upon a female for the job. Could it be a scheme put together by the stablehand? No, he couldn't be that smart.

"A quest? Alís, you cannot go gallivanting out on some quest."

"May I come in? This may take some time to explain."

Alís guided him over to the kitchen table where the three sat. She eyed him warily, his eyes held too much to tell what he was feeling.

"I am looking for members to accompany Thorin Oakenshield on a quest to reclaim Erebor." He placed a map on the table. "I have been informed you, Elóra, are originally from there."

Alís knew that name, knew of the stories of her kin. Thorin, Son Of Thrain had lead the last of Erebor's residents to the Blue Mountains.

"She is not going anywhere near that damned mountain while that dragon lies inside." Alís' mother stated firmly. Her mother's eyes were wild and angered. Alís knew her mother's limits, she would be close to throwing the old man out of their house. Her mother's height did not matter, she was a force to be reckoned with.

"And she will not. I acquire her expert riding and horse care skills. We will be letting her depart once we arrive close enough. You do not have to worry about her safety, she will be very safe under my watch."

"I am barely a dwarf, my roots lie here in Edoras. I look nothing like one, know nothing of the culture. Surely there must be someone better." Alís stated. She didn't know the first thing about being a dwarf. Sure, she knew the stories and the tales of her people, but their culture? She knew nothing.

"You are as much a dwarf as any. Your roots may lie here in Rohan, but they also lie in Erebor. I think the company would benefit from your presence."

"I cannot abandon my post." She gnawed on her cheek. She was already on thin ice with the captain, leaving her post meant leaving her position for good.

She worked too damned hard for it to be taken from her. It has been her father's position, she fought tooth and nail for it. She had fought even harder due to her sex.

"I will speak with your king to make arrangements."

Alís' brow raised, there was no way he could speak to the king at this hour, let alone convince him. Could he?

...

The wind whipped harshly down the valley sending Alís' hair flying. She hoped to arrive soon, rain was in the air and would be upon her soon. The thought of being cold and wet was enough to speed up her pace. Although, Bag End was much harder to find then she had anticipated.

Had she passed this road before? The rolling hills of the Shire all looked the same. All the homes were practically identical, the only difference being the door colours.

A few minutes passed before she came upon a green door. She had gotten tired of dismounting her pony so often to go check for Gandalf's damned rune.

Alís let out a sigh of relief when she saw the small glow coming from the corner of the door. This was the one.

Thunder sounded in the distance, rain was on its way. She hastily knocked on the door, hoping the rain would put off long enough for her to enter.

A small hobbit opened the door. He was an odd little fellow with fuzzy feet, Alís had never seen any of the sort before.

"Alís, at your service." She smiled to the Hobbit.

"Goodness, more dwarves." He muttered.

She eyed the odd fellow for a moment. "Thank you for hosting." Her voice flowed like honey. She didn't want to anger this hobbit further.

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. Bilbo lead her through the hallway, it was a very lovely home, the wood was beautifully lacquered. He motioned for her to enter into the dining room.

The few that had gathered went quiet when they noticed her.

"Alís, Daughter Of Thurmon, at your service." She bowed slightly. They starred at her for a moment, surprise ridden on all their faces.

"Ah, you must be our Rider of Rohan." An old dwarf broke the silence.

"What gave me away?" She chuckled, gesturing to the horse motifs on her leather armour.

A hearty laugh came from the old dwarf.

Her attempt at humour was short lived.

"You're younger than I thought you would be, and shorter... and a lass." A large tattooed dwarf muttered.

"I think she's quite tall for a dam." A blonde haired dwarf spoke up.

"My father is human. I'm a half-blood."

"Half-blood? How old are you lassie? If you don't mind me asking. You seem so young." The old dwarf asked.

"I recently turned 75."

The tattooed dwarf looked taken aback.

"You're young indeed. The youngest of the company now. Fíli and Kíli here are around your age." The old dwarf gestured to two dwarves, the blonde one and a brown haired one.

She could have guessed their youth easily enough by the way they held themselves. The blonde had a mischievous glint in his eye, and the brunette held a boyish smirk.

The blonde one stood. "It's nice to meet you Miss Alís." He smiled, bowing slightly.

"A pleasure to meet you too...uh-" She hadn't been told which one he was.

"Fíli."

"It's nice to meet you Fíli, and Kíli."  
She looked to the brown haired one. "I can't say I've ever met dwarves my age before." In truth, she had never really met any dwarves before, let alone her age. She had only caught glimpses of caravans passing through Edoras, but those were few and far between.

"You haven't?" Kíli spoke, surprise clear on his face.

"No, I've lived in Rohan my whole life. Not many dwarves come through the city of Edoras."

"So, you're a Rider of Rohan?" Fíli enquired.

"Yes, I am placed in my father's old position." She shifted on her feet awkwardly. The art of small-talk was not her strong suit.

"Impressive."

Alís snorted. "I'm sure the Captain allowed me to take my father's post in hopes I'd get myself killed."

"Why did you take it then?"

"I like proving people wrong." She did, very much so. She held a stubborn streak that her mother cursed her endlessly for.

Alís noticed the hobbit had returned while they were conversing. He was pulling at his mop of curls and starring at the table. Food was strewn everywhere, chairs were toppled, cutlery was on the floor, it was a mess.

Bilbo looked positively irritated at the mess the four dwarves had made. Alís had noticed the food lying messily on the table, did they have no manners whatsoever?

A knock came from the door.

He huffed and went towards the front hall.

"You four are going to give that poor hobbit a heart attack." Alís muttered.

The old dwarf laughed.

Loud thumps and swearing came from the front entrance.

After a minute or so, Gandalf entered the room, a gaggle of dwarves in tow.

"Ah, Alís, I see you've made it, excellent." He smiled.

She gave a curt nod to him in acknowledgement, not wishing to pull to her presence more than necessary.

Though, to the others she stood out like a sore thumb. As soon as they laid eyes on her they began murmuring amongst each other.

"We cannot take a dam on this quest. It's not proper."

"She's so small, just a child. What is she doing here?"

"Ladies do not belong in combat-"

The moment the words left the red haired dwarf's mouth Alís burst out of her seat and pressed a blade to his neck.

Her movements were quick but graceful. Her skill was eminent to everyone in the room.

"If you think I'm some delicate flower you're sorely mistaken." She spoke low.

He visibly paled.

Alís sheathed her dagger back in her boot.

"Alís is quite qualified, even more so than many of you. I would not judge her skills on first impressions." Gandalf said.

"I'm sorry Miss." The dwarf bowed.

Alís sat back down in her seat.

"I bet she is fine with a blade." The old dwarf said.

The other dwarves took their seats at the table.

"Actually, I'm an archer. I do occasionally use blades, but I prefer bows."

"Really?!" Kíli blurted out.

Alís laughed at his sudden outburst. She enjoyed his enthusiasm, a look of awe was on his face. "Is that so surprising?"

"I've never seen another dwarf use a bow."

"My father taught me when I was just a pebble. My amad always said we were two peas in a pod." Alís smiled.

"Well, now it seems you two are the peas." Fíli murmured, although Alís did not hear. Kíli elbowed him in the ribs.

**Hello there!**  
**I have decided to dip into FanFiction dot net after writing most of this story over on AO3, feel free to check me out on there too! I'm also called AmuletofMara there.**


	2. The Girl Who Cried Troll

A loud howl pierced through the night. Alís bolted up in her sleep to see the others awake. The closest to her, Fíli, was happily smoking his pipe and speaking with his brother.

The sound was familiar to Alís, leaving a sunken feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Usually the sound was followed with alarm bells. She would be required to rush to her post. The horses would have been readied, their armour and saddles already strapped on.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked, his voice wavering.

"Orcs."

"Orcs?"

"Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lone-lands are crawling with them." Fíli responded.

"They strike in the wee small hours  
when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet, no screams. Just lots of blood." Kíli added.

Alís rolled her eyes. The two were speaking as if they were telling a ghost story.

The brothers looked to each other and laughed. Most likely pleased with themselves for scaring the daylights out of Bilbo. Alís playfully punched Fíli on the arm.

"Ow." He looked at her and scowled.

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" Thorin scolded.

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kíli said in a small voice.

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin scowled at his nephews.

Alís saw how much Thorin expected of Fíli and Kíli. They held too much on their shoulders for being so young.

She got out of her bedroll and sat between the two. A pair of idiots. She gave Kíli a good punch on the shoulder too, for good measure.

"Alís! What was that for?!" Kíli rubbed the spot on his arm.

"You two are idiots." She muttered, starring into the fire.

"But idiots that are your friends." Fíli added.

"Which means punching us is a bad idea." Kíli quipped, crossing his arms like a child.

Alís laughed at the two. It felt nice to have made friends so quickly, especially ones her age. Too many of her past friends were long grown up.

"We really didn't mean anything by it." Kíli said again, sounding like a kicked puppy.

"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs." Balin said.

Balin began a story of Azog the Defiler. Alís could see in his eyes he still thought of this often. It seemed like he had not forgotten a single detail. The story was jarring and made Alís' stomach twist.

The Battle of Moria had not been a battle she was familiar with. It sounded horrific, so many amongst the dead, so many injured. It had been a larger blow to her people than Smaug.

Alís wrung her hands together and starred into the fire. She understood why Thorin always held a crease in his brow, she couldn't imagine the burdens he has held on his shoulders.

"And the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo asked.

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came." Thorin growled.

"We'll camp here for the night." Thorin declared. "Alís, take care of the ponies."

She gave a curt nod and went to tend to the ponies.

The task of feeding and watering horses was something that came naturally for her. She had grown up alongside many and began tending to them at a young age.

The task made her think of her father, how he showed her to care for their horses when she was just a pebble. She wondered if he would be proud of her. Everything she has done was in effort to honour him. He was an excellent man and an excellent father.

She sat down on a log, listening to the wind rustle the leaves. The stars above twinkled, making her believe that maybe her father was looking down on her.

Her mind wandered to home. What was her mother doing? This time of night she would be reading by the fire. Alís would always arrive home from her post late. Her mother would always have something delicious warming over the fire, waiting for her while she read.

Alís' stomach let out a growl. She hoped dinner was going to be ready shortly, she was famished. The thought of her mother's cooking was not helping either. She sighed and stood, stretching her stiff muscles.

She was startled as a giant crack was heard behind her. She stood quickly, searching for danger.

When she saw nothing, it clicked. "Kíli, Fíli come out. I know you're there." She said into the blackness. "This isn't funny, when Thorin finds out you're spending more time pranking me than helping me..."

The ground beneath her began to shake. The ponies whinnied nervously. She quickly went over to calm them down and prevent them from bolting. Was it an earthquake?

"Woah Minty. It's ok girl." She attempted to calm her to no avail. Usually she could calm them down without a problem, but this time it was different.

A loud crack came from her right, making her freeze in place. She slowly turned towards the sound. A large troll stood starring her down.

She let out an involuntary squeak. She had handled orcs, wargs, and many other filthy creatures, but this was very different. This troll was _huge._

She had no weapon, no protection, nothing. She began to panic, cursing herself for leaving her bow at camp. But what good would it do anyways? The troll was as large as a house, arrows couldn't take it down.

She did all she knew how. She screamed.

...

A bloodcurdling scream erupted from the forest, startling the rest of the company sitting by the fire.

"To arms!" Thorin bellowed.

They charged into the forest, attempting to find the location of the scream.

"Alís! Where are you?!" Bofur called.

"Alís!" Kíli yelled, his voice full of panic. He and Fíli had been assigned the job of assisting Alís, but they decided to slip away for a few minutes for some pipe weed. His stomach churned with guilt. It was his fault.

There was no response. Only silence.

"Over here!" Bombur called. He found a tree that had been knocked over, it had been completely uprooted.

Thorin knew immediately what they were up against. "Trolls." He growled. "This way."

They followed the trail of knocked down trees and large footprints until a light was visible.

"Quiet." Thorin ordered as they neared the light.

"I'm not for eating you dense bastards!" Alís' voice erupted from the clearing.

"Awfully feisty for a ferret." A troll spoke.

"Wait for my signal." The company halted at Thorin's orders.

A hot panic ran through Kíli seeing Alís like that. Every fibre was screaming at him to move. His uncle's orders did not register, he charged straight into the camp with his sword drawn.

"Drop her!" He yelled, slicing into the troll's leg with all his might.

Thorin held his finger up, telling the rest to wait. He was shocked by Kíli's actions. He deliberately disobeyed orders.

Although, he had been a good distraction and the trolls had dropped Alís. This was their window.

**_"Now!"_**

They burst into the camp with their weapons drawn.

They fought well, but once the trolls got a hold of Bilbo they threatened to rip his limbs off.

Weapons clanged on the ground in defeat.

They split the company into two. Half  
were stripped of their traveling clothes and left in their undergarments. They were strapped to a rotisserie like chicken. The other half were tossed in a pile, bound with burlap sacs.

Alís began to panic as they grabbed her, leaving her in just her combinations. "Put me down!" She screamed and kicked.

They wrapped her in a sac and threw her down onto the pile.

Bombur was thrown down after her, just about squishing her to death with his weight.

"I can't breathe Bombur." She squirmed.

"I'm sorry lass. It's so hard to move." He wiggled his way off of her.

"What do we do?" Alís looked to Thorin, who looked unsure. His expression scared her, he was always sure of what he was doing.

"Well this is cozy." Fíli teased, breaking the tension.

"Get your elbow out of my back!" Kíli squirmed.

She looked over to Bilbo who stood and hopped over to the trolls. What in Mahal's name was he doing? Trying to reason with a troll was like trying to reason with a rock.

"You've got the seasoning all wrong!" Bilbo yelled at the trolls.

The trolls looked at him curiously.

"You see... the secret to cooking dwarf is..." He paused for a moment. "You... have to skin them first!"

The company groaned.

"Mahal save us. I wasn't planning on dying today." Alís groaned.

Kíli laughed. Thorin kicked him, shutting him up.

Bombur was suddenly grabbed and held over the troll's mouth.

"Oh, not that one. He's infected!" Bilbo yelled.

"Huh?"

"You what?"

"He's got worms in his...tubes."

"Eugh!" They dropped Bombur back on the pile.

"Ah!" Alís yelled as Bombur landed right on top of her, flattening her like a pie crust.

"Are you alright lass?" Bombur asked.

"I'm fine." She groaned out, clenching her teeth, trying her very hardest to not let out a string of swears that would make criminals cringe.

"In fact, they all have. They're infested with parasites. It's a terrible business.  
I wouldn't risk it. I really wouldn't." Bilbo said.

"Parasites? Did he say 'parasites'?"

"We don't have parasites!"

"You have parasites!"

Thorin kicked them.

"I've got parasites as big as my arm!" Oín yelled.

"Mine are the biggest parasites... I've got huge parasites!" Kíli yelled.

Alís tried her best to not snicker. If they got out of this alive she would never let him live that down. That's what friends are for.

"He's taking us for fools!" One of the trolls growled.

"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf appeared. A great crack sounded as he slammed his staff down. The large rock split in two, letting the morning sun stream through. The trolls turned to stone as the light hit them.


	3. Sunsets and Secrets

After the trolls, Alís was having second thoughts about agreeing to this quest. She had dealt with bandits, thieves, and the occasional orc, but this was almost too much for her.

She was tired, positively exhausted. Sleeping was difficult, the slightest noise would have her wide awake.

After being chased by orcs she was wanting to sink into her bed at home and never face the world again.

They had arrived in Rivendell, much to the rest of the dwarves' distaste.

Alís didn't mind, she found the elves fascinating. Everything they did was done elegantly. They were impressively graceful.

They had been quite kind to her, giving her a dress to wear and a private bathing chamber. The dress was most likely meant for a child, but it fit.

She looked in the mirror and barely recognized herself. Her hair shone and her eyes seemed brighter than ever. She thought it to be the relaxing bath and the elven soaps.

The dress was modest but very lovely. It was a deep shade of blue which looked wonderful with the shade of her brown hair.

She gave her hair one last brush though and left the bathing chambers.

She was lead by a kind elf to where the rest of the company was eating dinner.

"Alís?!" Bofur choked on his greens as he looked at her.

"You look at me as if I've grown a second head." She laughed.

"You look like an elf." He said.

"I was given this to wear. I'd wager this costs more than my house."

Laughter erupted from the group.

"I think you look very beautiful." Ori said.

"Thank you Ori. I quite like it, it's very comfortable. Not very practical for fighting orcs though." She smiled.

"Elvish gowns are quite interesting. Very different from dwarven ones. The construction is lovely though." Dori said, admiring the handiwork of the gown.

"What are dwarven gowns like?" Alís asked. She sat down next to Dwalin and put some food on her plate.

"Usually they're embellished with gemstones, the neckline is much wider, and there's sometimes a fur element added." Dori continued on about the structure of dwarven gowns for quite awhile. Alís listened intently.

Kíli was continuously looking at Alís, though she was too enthralled in her conversation to notice. Fíli nudged him with his elbow lightly.

"You should talk to her." He whispered in Kíli's ear.

"I don't know how." Kíli replied.

Fíli winked at him and spoke up. "That elf keeps looking at you." He directed his comment at Alís.

"Huh?" She looked around puzzled.

"The one with Lord Elrond. I think he fancies you." Fíli said, taking a swig of his wine.

Kíli's hand wrapped tightly around his utensils. He was going to kill him later.

Alís snorted. "Right. He probably wants me to stop dressing like and elf and go back to where I came from."

"I don't know about that, he's giving you the eyes. What, are you spoken for or something?" Fíli raised his brow and took another sip of his wine.

"Of course not. No man in Edoras has ever bat an eye. I never exactly fit in."

"Hmm, well now you're not amongst men, you're amongst elves and dwarves." He added.

"How does courting even work in dwarven culture?"

Bofur began coughing again as he choked on another piece of lettuce. "You don't know?" He asked, astounded.

"The first time I have ever come across multiple dwarves was in Bag End. I do not know much."

"Leave the poor lass be." Balin waved the others off.

"I really do know absolutely nothing about dwarven culture."

"Do you know khuzdul?" Bofur inquired.

"Tha krav ekran khuzdul."

"Well there you go lass, you're half way there." Bofur said.

Alís laughed. "I guess I'm not a complete failure of a dwarf."

"Hush now, you're no failure for growing up amongst men." Balin laid a hand on her arm.

"I do wish I knew more." She sighed.

"Once our quest is complete I will teach you personally." He pat her arm gently.

"Thank you Balin."

After dinner Alís sat on the balcony watching the sunset. The sky was a brilliant shade of orange. Pinks, reds, and purples were mixed in, creating a radiant swirl of colour.

"It's beautiful here." Alís was startled as Bilbo stood next to her.

"It is." She pat the seat next to her, beckoning Bilbo to sit.

He sat and starred out over the trees. His expression showed how much he enjoyed it here.

She hadn't ever seen that look on his face, the face of joy and relaxation.

"Thank you for your quick thinking the other day. We would have been troll food if you hadn't acted so quickly." Alís said.

He smiled at her.

"Do you miss it? Home?" Alís asked as she watched a pair of birds dance in the sky.

"I do sometimes. Do you miss Rohan?"

"I wouldn't say I miss Rohan. I miss my mother. We're very close. After my father died we were inseparable. This is the longest I've been away from her."

Bilbo nodded.

"The Shire is very lovely. It must be wonderful to live there."

"Planning your move? The Shire is wonderful, I'm sure you'd be very welcome." He smiled.

Alís chuckled. "I do not know if there will be a place for me in Erebor. I'm weighing my options."

"I am very sure you will be. You're a dwarf."

"I wouldn't say I'm much of one. I never felt like I fit in with either. I was told my blood was dirty." She sighed.

"What kind of awful person would say that? I'm sorry that happened." Bilbo placed a hand on her arm.

"I never believed them, I am proud of what I am, my father was a good man and I love my mother dearly. I just do not feel like I fit anywhere. It's as if I don't fit into the puzzle quite right."

"You will find your place."

"Thank you Bilbo." She smiled.

They sat in comfortable silence until the sun fully set.

Alís walked back inside with Bilbo on her tail. They searched for the company, luckily they weren't too hard to find. They sat next to a fire and were cooking sausages over it.

Alís sat down on a pillow next to Bifur. He had a block of wood in his hands and a carving knife. He was carving intricate designs along the length of it.

"That is incredible." Alís complimented while admiring his work.

He smiled and handed it to her. She turned it around admiring the fine detail he had added.

"It's lovely." She smiled and handed it back.

"Bombur, catch!" Bofur hollered before throwing a sausage. Bombur caught it. The table he was sitting on suddenly collapsed under his weight. Everyone burst out laughing. Alís rolled her eyes.

She ran her fingers through her hair, working out the small tangles. She watched the fire for awhile, getting lost in the dancing flames.

She looked up to see Dori tending to his hair too.

"Why do dwarves braid their hair?" Bilbo asked.

"Well, that's quite a question. Many reasons. There's braids for clans, crafts, class, courting, and many more things. Each of them is different and represents something." Bofur explained.

"If you don't mind me asking, why do you not have any Alís?" Bilbo asked.

"I don't really know why I don't wear them. It's shameful really. I just never thought I was dwarf enough." She sighed.

"You are no different than any of us." Fíli reassured her.

"What clan are you from?" Bombur asked.

"Ironfists."

The conversation eventually changed and Alís noticed Kíli slip away. He seemed a lot quieter than usual which was strange.

She wrung her hands together, a nervous habit that she had developed over the past few weeks. She knew the stresses of the journey weighed down on him, especially with his uncle's watchful eyes.

She decided to get up and check on him. She quietly got up and went in the direction he went.

The way he went lead outside to the gardens that Bilbo and her had been admiring it earlier. She had become great friends with the hobbit, both felt like they didn't quite belong.

She noticed Kíli sitting on a rock and starring into the pond.

"Coin for your thoughts?" She said, startling him.

"Alís." He held his hand over his heart. "You startled me."

"Are you feeling alright? You were awfully quiet this evening." She sat down next to him.

"I'm fine, just needed some fresh air." He said, giving her a small smile. She knew it was forced, this smile didn't light up his eyes, nor did it make his eyes crinkle.

"Kíli, are you sure nothing is wrong? Call it a woman's intuition but I feel like you're distant. We're friends, are we not? You can always confide in me."

"Of course. I just-" He sighed. "All this talk of clans just had me thinking is all."

"What about?" Alís questioned. "You can tell me." She rested her hand on his arm.

"My clan is the Longbeards and I have barely a beard to speak of. Fíli can grow one, why can't I?" He sighed.

"I'm in the Ironfists and I don't have iron fists. Your beard is fine, it may not be dragging on the ground but that doesn't mean it's not a fine beard. It suits you just fine." Alís comforted him.

He smiled, this time genuinely. "Thank you."

"Anytime." They sat for a moment in comfortable silence. "Now, what is all this talk of you being able to shoot two arrows at once? I never got a chance to ask you before."

"It's not just talk, it's truth." He beamed.

"How is it done then? You have to share your secrets."

"I've already shared some secrets." He grinned.

"Cheeky. If I don't see it with my own eyes I wont believe you." She winked before laughing.

Alís and Kíli sat talking for hours. Their laughter alerted their search party, Thorin and Balin, who had gone out looking for them.

They stood on the stairs looking down at the two.

"He fancies her." Balin smiled.

Thorin huffed.

"She is a fine dam."

"As long as this doesn't interfere with our quest." Thorin said.


	4. Into the Depths

Alís had thought the company's misfortune was behind them, up until the mountain came alive. She had almost been sent flying off a cliff by falling boulders. Dwalin had grabbed her and Kíli wouldn't let her be after that. He had continuously asked her if she was alright.

The goblins were no better, they poked her and prodded her, ripping off her cloak and her leather chest plate. The goblin had gone to his master and showed him the crest of Rohan.

"A Rider of Rohan? A man of Rohan bumbling around with dwarves?" He laughed, stroking his bulbous chin. "Which one is the rider?"

"This one sire!" The goblin had grabbed Alís and thrown her in front of the grotesque King.

"A woman?!" He laughed. "It is a crime to impersonate a soldier. Perhaps I should do your king a favour and release your head from your miserable body." He stroked his chin. "Bring up the mangler! Bring up the bonebreaker! Start with the woman!"

"Wait!" Thorin yelled.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is. Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King Under the Mountain." The Goblin King cackled. "Oh, but I'm forgetting, you don't have a mountain. And you're not a king; which makes you nobody, really."

"I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head. Just a head, nothing attached. Perhaps you know of whom I speak. An old enemy of yours. A pale Orc, astride a white Warg." The monstrosity continued.

"Azog the Defiler was destroyed. He was slain in battle long ago." Thorin growled.

"So you think his defiling days are done, do you?" The Goblin King laughed. "Send word to the pale Orc. Tell him I have found his prize."

Alís wished she still had her bow or sword. She thought the Goblin King would look fetching in a pool of his own blood.

She continued to struggle against the two goblins that held her down. "Let me go!" She growled.

"I know that sword!" A goblin shrieked from behind her.

"It is the Goblin-cleaver! The Biter! The blade that sliced 1000 necks!"

"Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!" The Goblin King wailed.

Everything stood still for a moment as a flash of light illuminated the area. Alís was thrown back out of the goblin's grip.

Her ears began to ring loudly. Everything was muffled. She could make out the company next to her yelling, but no words were attached.

Then it came back with a rush of sound. "Fight!" Gandalf yelled.

Alís quickly stood and grabbed a sword that had been thrown in a pile with the other weapons.

She turned around to see a goblin lunging for her. She swung and sliced the goblin's head clean off before running off after the others.

She had been trailing behind Nori until she fell to the floor. A searing pain erupted from the back of her head. A goblin stood over her holding a fistful of her brown curls.

"You bastard!" She growled before plunging the sword into the goblin's abdomen.

She felt her nose bleeding and her forehead pounding from the initial hit with the ground. She tried to stand up, but stumbled.

Dwalin noticed her struggle and ran over to her. He stuck his axe into the goblin and helped Alís up. "Go! Follow the others!" He ordered.

She nodded and ran, her head still swimming from the blow.

Her vision blurred and running was difficult. She saw spots dancing across her eyes.

"Alís!" Kíli yelled.

She looked in his direction and stumbled.

He ran back for her and supported her weight.

"My head feels like I'm underwater." She mumbled.

Suddenly she felt herself in the air, then back down again.

Kíli was carrying her.

He ran after the others, holding Alís tightly to his chest.

She was mumbling nonsense, which made him think the blow to her head was serious.

They eventually made it outside into the daylight. Everything was a blur to Alís, a mixture of yells and wisps of colour.

Kíli sat her down and leaned her against a tree.

"Oín!" He called.

The old healer walked over, still huffing from the running.

"What happened lass?" Oín asked Alís.

"My head... a goblin." She winced as she moved slightly.

He handed her a handkerchief for her nose. "Let me take a look at your head." He kneeled down beside her and parted her hair in spots, looking at her scalp. "Some bleeding here." He murmured, looking at the patch of missing hair.

"Follow my finger with your eyes." He moved it from left to right a few times in front of her face.

"Thankfully, you don't have a concussion. It is likely just a mixture of Gandalf's magic and the blow to your head." Oín confirmed.

Oín grabbed an herb out of his medicine pouch. "Here, chew this. It will help with the pain."

She chewed it as instructed and winced at the bitter taste. It tasted like she was chewing on animal feed.

"That filth took a chunk out of my hair. It's going to take so long to grow back." She groaned.

"Yes, it is the most insulting thing anyone could do to a dwarrow." Oín sighed. "You fought well lass. Your hair will grow, do not fret. In the meantime we will need to bandage that spot to help keep it clean."

"Thank you Oín." Alís said before tilting her head for the bandage.

"No need to thank me lassie."

She sat for awhile, taking deep breaths as instructed. It calmed her down and helped with the pain. Her nose had stopped bleeding and was no longer bothering her.

Dwalin and Balin walked over to the tree Alís was leaned against.

"How are you feeling?" Balin asked her, his brows furrowing in concern.

"Alright. My hair is not though. A goblin ripped out quite the handful." She huffed.

"And I cut em' to pieces for it. Although, you had already given em' quite the bludgeoning." Dwalin patted her shoulder.

Alís smiled up at him in thanks.

"You should have seen the other goblin. She took his head clean off!" Fíli walked over, joining the group.

"That a lass!" Dwalin grinned.

"And you sliced one practically in half!" Alís replied, knowing her swings were no where as good as his.

"Well, I don't mean to brag." He grinned boastfully. "But I do have quite the sword arm."

"And the other one is weaker than a twig!" Kíli responded, grinning as he teased his brother. He knew Fíli deserved it, he still hadn't got back at him from the last incident.

Alís laughed loudly. Kíli smiled at the sound. He was relieved she was feeling better enough to enjoy their banter.

"I wouldn't tease your brother too much Kíli, for you have plenty of parasites for us to continue teasing you with!" Alís laughed.

"Hey! I didn't want to be eaten by trolls!" Kíli retorted.

"Mhmm, well don't you worry, I'll be making quite sure you never live that down." She grinned.


	5. Up in Flames

A loud howl sounded, making Alís scramble to her feet. "Run!" She heard Gandalf yell out. "Run! Into the trees!"

She gripped her sword tightly and scrambled over towards the trees. Bombur held out his hand and Alís grabbed it. He quickly hoisted her up next to him.

"Thanks." Alís breathed out.

She pulled her bow off her back and fastened an arrow. She let it loose into a warg that began to close in. It whined and stumbled but continued on. She let another fly, this time it imbedded itself in the warg's skull.

Wargs were below the tree in front of her. She tried to shoot them but they moved too quickly. The tree began to groan and sway. It then began to fall towards the tree she stood in.

"Look out!"

She shifted as the tree fell. Fíli, Bifur, and Ori came sailing through the air before landing in the branches next to her.

"You alright?" She called over to them.

"Just peachy!" Fíli called back.

The wargs moved to their tree, knocking at it and making it shake violently. She couldn't shoot at the beasts while holding on for dear life.

A loud voice growled out something in black speech. She looked to the group of orcs approaching and visibly paled.

It was the pale orc astride the white warg. He lived.

She felt the tree jolt suddenly.

"We have to jump!" Fíli called as the tree began swaying more.

She leaped through the air before her chest slammed into a branch, knocking her breath away. She clambered and gasped.

Kíli quickly pulled her up and held her waist until she caught her breath.

"Thank you." She gasped.

"Do you have arrows?" He quickly asked. She grabbed some out of her quiver and handed them to him.

They both shot at the wargs coming towards their tree. They snarled and whined as the arrows met their mark.

It didn't stop them though, they shook the tree they stood on until it toppled like the others. They leaped from tree to tree until only one stood.

"What do we do?!" Dori yelled, panic sounding in his voice.

Suddenly, a flaming pinecone flew over Alís' head. She looked up to see Gandalf distributing them.

The dry grass went up quickly, scaring the wargs away from the base of the last tree.

"Imrid amrad ursul!" Alís shouted, a grin spreading off her face. (Die a death of flames.)

"Ikhf' id-ursu khazâd!" Bifur yelled down. (Feel the fire of the dwarves.)

The rest of the company shouted down insults at the orcs.

The wargs whined and backed away from the flames. The unlucky ones became engulfed, their fur going up like torches.

The company cheered as the orcs began to back away.

The tree all of a sudden groaned and leaned. Alís grabbed onto the trunk tightly. Then the whole thing tipped.

She screamed as the tree dangled over the edge of the cliff. Her heart hammered in her chest as she clutched on.

Thorin suddenly stood and walked out into the blaze. "Thorin!" Dwalin yelled.

"No!" Fíli shouted.

Bilbo got his footing and ran off after Thorin.

She couldn't see where Thorin went over the height of the flames. "Bilbo!" She screamed.

She hoisted herself up with all her might, getting her footing back and running into the flames.

She drew her sword and went off after him.

This was a suicide mission, she wore no armour. It was taken by the goblins. She knew it was a mistake but ran anyways.

The hobbit would surely find his death if no one helped him.

A warg came up beside her and she quickly swiped at its shoulder. It snarled and lunged towards her before Dwalin's ax's imbedded itself in its skull.

She saw the rest of the company had gotten out of the tree and ran to aid their king.

She nodded at Dwalin and continued on towards where Bilbo ran.

She saw Thorin laying on the ground and Bilbo's sword sticking out of a warg's skull. Her breath caught in her throat.

Another warg was closing in on Bilbo while his sword was stuck in the dead one. "Over here you mangy mutt!" Alís screamed.

She ran towards it, dodging as it lunged for her. She swung and sliced the warg in the face, blinding it. The orc rider jumped off and took a swing at Alís.

Before she was able to block it another sword came and stopped the orc. Kíli. The swords clanged as they made contact. He swung his sword around and disarmed the orc before slicing it down the middle. Alís quickly killed the blinded warg.

"Thanks." She said while catching her breath.

She felt a rush of air before she was whisked off into the sky. She let out a scream. "Alís!" Kíli yelled.

She saw eagles everywhere, huge eagles. They swooped down, attacking the orcs. She starred in awe at them before the felt the talons that held her let go.

She screamed, falling through the air before landing hard on another eagle's back. She gripped onto the feathers tightly, her whole body shaking violently.

She hunkered down onto the back of the eagle, praying to Mahal she didn't fall.

She held her eyes shut for what felt like hours before slowly opening them. Dwarves were not made for flying. She wished she was relaxed.

The view was beautiful, but Alís couldn't look down, it made her head spin.

"Thorin!" She heard someone yelling. She peeked over the side of the eagle to see Thorin below her, laying in the talons of another eagle.

She closed her eyes again, hoping it would be over soon.

She felt the eagle land before opening her eyes. They were on a large spire that overlooked a valley. The view was marvellous. Though, she couldn't see very far due to fog that lined the area.

"Thorin!" Dwalin yelled as he dismounted the eagle.

The company surrounded Thorin, all holding their breath and hoping. Gandalf walked over, kneeling down next to Thorin.

He held his hand out muttering some words she couldn't understand before Thorin gasped.

He opened his eyes and looked around. "The halfling?" He groaned out.

"It's all right. Bilbo is here. He's quite safe." Gandalf said as Thorin stood.

"You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed!" Thorin roared at Bilbo.

Alís sucked in a breath. She was shocked that Thorin would say such things.

"Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild? That you had no place amongst us?" He continued.

He paused a moment before speaking again, his face softening. "I have never been so wrong in all my life." He embraced Bilbo before adding, "I'm sorry I doubted you."

"No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior. Not even a burglar." Bilbo said.

The wind picked up sending Alís hair flying. She moved it out of her face before noticing the fog had moved.

"Is that what I think it is?" Oín mumbled.

"Erebor, The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-Earth." Gandalf confirmed.

"Our home."


	6. Quiet Nights

Alís sat in the meadow. The breeze softly hit her face and swirled her hair around. She sat with her feet in the grass. It had been so long since she had been so carefree.

Beorn's lands were wonderful. It was filled with wildlife and beautiful plants. It was truly one of the safest places she'd ever been. It was almost as lovely as the Shire.

She starred at the clouds, watching them morph into different shapes as they flew across the sky.

As she starred up at the sky she felt a presence next to her. She turned to see Kíli standing there. "I was wondering where you had gone off to." He said.

Alís pat the spot next to her and he sat.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Looking up at the clouds and trying to see what shapes they make. My father and I used to do this all the time. See, that one looks like a rabbit." Alís grinned.

"I don't see it." He frowned.

"Those are the ears." She pointed. "And that's the tail."

Kíli squinted, trying but failing to see what she saw.

Alís laughed.

"I give up." He sighed.

"How was training?" Alís asked, gesturing to the sword next to him.

"Dwalin is trying to kill us, so as well as that could go I guess." He laughed.

"Hmm, he isn't that way with me. Perhaps you have to get in his good graces." She grinned.

"I don't think he has any." Kíli mused.

Alís burst out laughing.

They sat for a few moments in comfortable silence.

"It's really nice here." Kíli spoke.

"It is. It also helps to have good company." She smiled.

He starred at her for a moment before boldly placing his hand on hers. He wound their fingers together. Alís never pulled her hand away, making Kíli sigh a breath of relief.

"I haven't felt so relaxed in ages. It feels like forever ago." She sighed happily.

"Once this journey is over I hope we all are that way." He smiled.

"We all need a break." Alís laughed. They were all so tired.

"And some good strong ale." He sighed, wishfully.

Alís chuckled. "I would prefer a mattress over a pint."

"The floor is comfortable if you're knackered enough." He grinned.

Alís sat next to Bilbo as they lounged in the hay piles. It was the closest they were getting to a bed and Alís was grateful. Many members of the company were smoking and making conversation, some were already asleep and snoring.

Alís pulled a small frame from her pack and ran her fingers over the old metal edges. She opened it like a book and starred at the drawings it held.

Her mother and father starred at her smiling. She hoped she was making them proud.

Her mother always said she was her father's daughter. Alís was a spitting image of him, at least according to her mother.

She could see why her mother would say that, they shared the same small nose, the same green eyes, and the same brown hair. Though, she got her smile, her stubbornness, and her high cheekbones from her mother.

"Is that your family?" Bilbo asked.

She looked at him and smiled. "It is." She passed him the frame.

"I'm sure they're very proud of you." He said before passing back the frame.

Alís smiled before looking at the ground. "I hope so. I miss them. I will alway have my mother to come back to, but my father is gone. I've come to terms with it, but it still hurts now and then."

Bilbo rested and hand on her shoulder. "And even though he isn't, he would be proud of who you've become. You've encountered trolls, goblins and orcs for goodness sake! You're a true warrior."

"Thank you Bilbo." Alís smiled. She held the frame tight to her chest before putting it back in her pack.

The time was late, the company was all asleep in the safe grounds of Beorn. But Alís lay awake. She tossed and turned but sleep would not come.

"Alís?" She heard a whisper come from the dark.

"Yes?"

She heard shuffling before Kíli came into view. "Are you alright?" He asked as he sat next to her.

"I can't sleep." She sighed.

"Why?" He enquired, grasping her hand and entwining their fingers. It caused her heart to flutter.

"I was thinking about my amad. I miss her. This is the longest I've ever been away from home." She whispered.

Kíli laid down next to her. "I understand. This is the longest for Fíli and I too." He rummaged in his pocket before pulling out a small stone.

"My amad gave this to me." He held it out in his palm.

Alís picked it up and saw it held words on it. "Innik dê." She read. (Return to me.)

"She thinks I'm reckless." He smirked.

"A wise woman she is then." Alís laughed softly. "Mine gave me this." She grabbed her picture frame before handing it to him.

"Are these your parents?" He asked.

"They are."

"You look like your father." He noticed.

"My amad says that all the time." Alís chuckled.

"Fíli is the one that took after our adad, I just got his eyes. He died when I was very young, I don't have very many memories of him."

"I'm sorry." She placed her hand on his arm.

"It's alright. Uncle Thorin stepped in and took that role. He mentored us and trained us, taught us everything we know." Kíli starred up at the ceiling.

Alís felt bold. She shuffled towards him and wrapped her arms around him, hoping she could give him some sort of comfort.

He placed the frame down before turning towards her and wrapping his arms around her waist. Alís immediately felt relaxed in his arms.

They sat in silence for a long time. The quiet thump from Kíli's chest relaxed her. Her eyes began to flutter. "Goodnight Alís." She heard before drifting off to sleep.

Fíli had risen early, though he was not the first to wake. Most of the company had already gone off outside.

He noticed Alís and Kíli tangled up in the hay. He grinned.

"Kee, you better get up, you're drooling all over Alís!" Fíli said directly into Kíli's ear.

Kíli swatted at him, still half asleep before he realized the way he was laying. His legs were tangled up with Alís', their bodies tightly pressed together. He blushed and wiggled out of her grasp.

Fíli raised a brow suggestively at him. "Don't you dare." Kíli wagged his finger at him.

It was going to be a long morning.


	7. Green

Alís' head was swimming, reality fading in and out. There had been spiders; _huge _spiders. Their venom had caused her to feel woozy.

She had been shoved forcefully into a cell, only to fall flat on her face. The elf chortled as he walked away.

"Are you ok Alís?" She looked up to see Fíli with his brow furrowed.

"I'm alright." She said before being helped up.

"Thank you." She sat on the stone bench and held her head in her hands.

A voice resonated from the cell over. "Aren't you going to search me? I could have anything down my trousers." It rung in her ears like Gandalf's magic.

"Or nothing." She heard the female elf retort before slamming the cell door.

Alís hugged her legs to her chest and continued to sit on the cold stone bench.

She still felt as if she was on a boat. It felt similar to the time her father taught her to fish. She had been sea sick then, but this was indescribably horrid.

She heard loud thumping coming from a few cells over, making her head pound.

"Again!" The company was trying to break free. It was a rhythmic slamming, as if they were taking turns.

She groaned at the sound.

"There's no way out! This is no orc dungeon. These are the Halls of the Woodland Realm. No one leaves here but by the king's consent." Balin's voice called out.

Alís had awoken with a horrible pain in her neck, but luckily no longer feeling the effects of the venom. The stone bench was hard beneath her, unlike the soft feather bed the elves of Rivendell had given her.

She understood why the Longbeards dislike wood elves.

Fíli sat adjacent to where she laid, his head lolled to the side in deep sleep. Drool had begun running down his face, Alís couldn't help but snicker.

Any type of good mood was utterly destroyed by the sound of two voices quietly talking. Kíli and that elf maid.

Alís sat and listened to them, it felt like a blade had pierced her chest. She was sure if Fíli was awake, he would see her turning a fine shade of green.

It felt like poison in her ears.

Did Kíli wish to stop anything they had before it started? She knew she wasn't a noble, or anything special. But he led her to believe he may have feelings for her. So why was he flirting with an elf?

Longbeards were meant to hate elves. She didn't understand.

Red hot anger burned through her like molten metal. Then, it came crashing down, her heart sinking like a vessel.

She clenched her fists and held back her tears. Oh Mahal, it hurt.

Fíli shifted before jolting awake, still on edge after being on the road for so long.

He groaned and stood, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. As he stretched he noticed the voices coming from the cell over.

"...precious and pure. Like your promise. I have walked there sometimes. Beyond the forest and up into the night. I have seen the world fall away and the white light of forever fill the air." The she-elf spoke.

"I saw a fire moon once. It rose over the pass near Dunland. Huge. Red and gold, it was. It filled the sky. We were an escort for some merchants from Ered Luin. They were trading in silverwork for furs. We took the Greenway south keeping the mountain to our left. And then it appeared. This huge fire moon lighting our path."

Fíli scoffed. _Flirting with elves?_

"Mingling with prisoners does not sound like an act your king would be pleased with, elf." Fíli's voice was venomous.

"It is none of your concern, dwarf." She retorted back.

"It should be yours. For if Thraduiil hears you, he might just pop." Alís spoke, her voice sharp.

Fíli laughed, a smirk plastered on his face.

The elf maid huffed and walked off.

Alís felt numb. Their escape had been spectacular, but it was all a blur.

She sat on the edge of the lake wringing out her hair. She felt like a wet dog. Her hair stuck to her skin in an unpleasant manner, adding to her horrible mood.

Kíli had been injured, his leg oozing horribly from the orc arrow imbedded in it. She worried for him, it didn't look good. It was too deep in his muscle to heal properly.

She regret not being the one to take the arrow, it hurt her to see him in pain.

"Alís." He called. She turned her attention from her waterlogged boots to where Kíli sat.

He pat the rock next to him. She reluctantly sat. He grasped her hand and she flinched.

"What's wrong?" He looked at her hand. "Are you injured?"

"I don't know..." She muttered.

Oín came over to bind Kíli's leg. "You have two minutes." Thorin called over to him.

"Alís is injured. Take a look at her first." Kíli told Oín.

"I am fine, your leg needs binding." Her voice was icy. "I'll leave you to it Oín."

She felt that way, icy. As if she sat in the snow too long and began to go numb from the cold.

She walked over to the rest of the company. She stood next to Dwalin. His large hand came down to pat her shoulder.

Balin had eyed the lass, having noticed her change in demeanour. "Are you well, lass?" He asked.

"I am fine, thank you." She smiled at him, but it didn't reach her eyes.

Suddenly, shouts erupted from the company as an arrow was shot in their direction.

The bargeman was a bit rough around the edges, but kind enough. Well, until the fish that is.

She almost found it comical. To be smuggled into a town, covered in fish. If her mother could see her now she would pop.

She could hear the scolding all the way from Rohan. The thought made her heart squeeze. She missed home.

As her barrel began to tip, her heart went to her throat. She gripped the sides tightly, closing her eyes in anticipation.

But nothing came.

She let out a quiet sigh of relief as the barrel was put upright again.

She didn't get covered in fish for nothing.


	8. A Little Company

Alís huddled in the blanket she had been given. She pulled it tighter around her in hopes of warming quicker. The icy water they had been forced to jump into had chilled her to the bone.

She sat next to the fireplace of Bard's small home. The heat that radiated towards her was quickly warming her trembling form.

A change of clothes had been provided by Bard's daughter, which she was very thankful for. She had learned the young woman's name was Sigrid.

The dress had been long on her, but Sigrid had been kind enough to cut it to her size. Alís told her there was no bother in hemming the raw edge, as the fabric was sturdy enough to not fray.

Alís sat for some time, starring into the flames of the fireplace. She sighed quietly to herself.

How had things become so complicated?

She looked down at the waterlogged frame she held in her hands. It was the only thing the elves of Mirkwood let her keep.

The drawings had become soaked and smudged slightly. She carefully opened it and set the paper to dry next to her. The smiling faces of her parents looked back at her. Her heart squeezed looking at their faces.

A small figure came and sat next to her on the floor.

"Hello." The small girl beamed, her brown eyes shone with fascination.

"Hello." Alís smiled down at her.

"My name is Tilda. You looked a little lonely so I wanted to give you some company." She said.

"It is nice to meet you Tilda. My name is Alís."

"Are you a dwarf? I thought dwarves were meant to have beards?" Tilda asked sheepishly.

Alís laughed softly, smiling down at the girl.

"I am a dwarf, mizimith. I am also like you though. My mother was a dwarf and my father was of the race of men." She began. "Not all dwarf women have beards. My mother does not, nor do I." Alís giggled.

"What does that mean? Mismif?" Tilda asked.

Alís couldn't help but adore this girl already.

"It means young jewel." Alís said.

Tilda beamed. "Amazing! Your language is pretty."

"Few outsiders know it, so keep it to yourself, mizimith. Our little secret."

"Of course." She nodded.

"Alís." Thorin's voice called from across the room. He sat with Balin and Dwalin, looking over the map.

"Excuse me." She told Tilda.

She walked towards the table Thorin sat at.

"I'd like to discuss the end of your contract." He began.

Alís felt her heart sink. She had forgotten her contract terms. She had to stay behind.

Balin gave her a saddened look before turning his attention back to Thorin.

He placed a coin pouch down on the table and slid it in her direction. "Purchase yourself a room at the inn. Do not alert anyone to your dwarven heritage, for now, you are a daughter of Rohan. We cannot have anyone attempting to stop our quest.  
Once the mountain is reclaimed your share will be delivered." He said in a hushed tone.

Alís nodded in understanding. "I will do my best to lie low. Thank you, Thorin."

"We will wait until nightfall to leave, I suggest you do the same." He finished, giving her a nod.

Thorin turned back to the map he was hovering over.

Alís walked back over to the fire.

"Is everything alright?" Tilda asked.

"Yes, everything is fine." Alís forced a smile.

"Do you like to sew? Sigrid taught me last summer and I made this!" She handed Alís her small doll. It had fiery red wool for hair and brown buttons for eyes.

"A young seamstress in the making it seems. This is fine work." Alís complimented, examining the doll in her hands.

"You think so?! I've been working really hard to get better." Tilda said excitedly.

"I do. If you keep working at it I'm sure you'll be the finest seamstress there is."

Tilda was beaming, her smile as wide as it could be.

Night had soon fallen and Alís was preparing to leave. Sigrid had offered to escort her to the inn to make sure she got there safely. Alís was thankful and hoped they wouldn't run into any problems.

She stuffed a few articles of clothing into a small pack that was provided by Bard. He had given it to her and left in a hurry, saying there was some business he needed to attend to.

The man was strange and aloof, but he was kind and so were his children. It was a shame their mother died, Alís was sure she would have been like Sigrid.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder.

"Where are you going?" Kíli asked, before wincing at his leg.

Alís helped him back to his chair and spoke. "I'm leaving. My contract is up."

"What? Why?" He sputtered.

"I can't enter the mountain, it's not mine to take back." She replied simply.

He grasped her hand. "Where will you go?" He asked, his voice quiet.

"To the inn." She looked down at him. His eyes were searching hers, almost like they were looking for something.

"I- I'll see you again, right?" He looked up at her.

She looked to the floor. "I don't know." She said, almost a whisper.

Images of Kíli and the elf maid bombarded her thoughts.

They would marry, would they not? She would give him heirs, red headed heirs. They would have beautiful children.

Alís' heart clenched so tightly she thought it would burst. The lump in her throat grew and tears brimmed in her eyes.

"I need to go. Goodbye Kíli."

"Wait." He grasped her hand.

"Take this." He held out his hand. Alís' mouth gaped when she saw he was holding his stone.

"It's yours Kíli. You should keep it."

"I want you to have it." He placed it in her palm.

"I- thank you." She clutched the stone tightly.

He gave her a weak smile.

"Goodbye." She struggled to turn and walk away. Tears were brimming in her eyes, threatening to fall.

She said a quick goodbye to the company and gave Bilbo a long hug. He was protesting but Alís was adamant on leaving.

"Sigrid." Alís called.

She came with her sister in tow. "I'm coming too." Tilda crossed her arms in finality.

Alís laughed. "I would love it if you joined us."

"Oh thank you, Miss. Alice!" Tilda went up and hugged her. Alís stroked the girl's hair before she peeled herself away and pulled Alís out the door.

They had arrived at the inn with no hiccups, the dark of night had not alerted anyone to Alís' presence.

The innkeeper was a large portly man, with a head shaved bald and a permanent scowl on his face.

"Excuse me sir?" Sigrid called

"Do you need a room?" He asked.

"Yes, our cousin here has traveled from Rohan and needs a room for the night. We weren't quite expecting her so early so we must have her here for a few nights to get a room ready for her." Sigrid came up with a lengthy explanation.

"That's a'nuff lass, I don't need yer life's story. I got a room, show me the coin first." He nodded at Alís.

She pulled the pouch Thorin had given her out of her bag. She put it on the counter and the man poured it out.

"Three nights." He said, looking at the stack of coins.

"That is worth much more than three nights." Alís crossed her arms.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Alice, we can take you to another inn if that would suit you better." Sigrid played along.

Tilda scowled at the innkeeper. "Sir, my cousin has come an awfully long way for you to turn away her business." She grabbed the coins off of the counter and tucked them back into the pouch.

"The Sleeping Giant will be much more comfortable, let's go." Sigrid began leading Alís away.

"Wait. One week." He changed his offer.

"One week? That will suit me better, will have plenty of time to get that room into shape girls." Alís smiled.

She put the coins back on the counter. The innkeeper quickly snatched the pouch away and placed it into his pocket.

He slid a book towards her and placed a key down. "Sign here." He pointed.

Alís thought it best to use the way men spell her name, Alice.

_Alice, daughter of Thurmon. _

"First room on the left, up the stairs there." The innkeeper gestured to the staircase, before turning back to cleaning tankards.

"Let's get you settled in, cousin."


	9. City of Ash

The next evening Alís didn't know what to do with herself. She knew the company would have reached the mountain by now, they could be facing the dragon.

She paced in her room, not liking the silence. She had been so used to traveling with rowdy dwarrow that the silence was deafening.

Alís sighed and went to sit on the bed. It creaked loudly as she sat down, causing her to jump in surprise.

She was restless and on edge. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

The wind whipped against the window causing it to fly open. She jumped again before rising to close it.

A small thud alerted her to the object that had fallen to the floor as she stood. She starred down at it, it was Kíli's stone.

She picked it up, running her fingers over the carefully carved Khuzdul.

Thoughts of him caused her heart to ache horribly. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to fall. He could be lying dead in the mountain and she wouldn't ever know.

She had to see him again, it was as if her life depended on it. He was her air, her blood.

_Alís removed her nose from her book. "Amad?" _

_"Yes, uzfakuh?" Her mother looked away from her sewing. _

_"How do you know if you've found your One?" She sheepishly asked. The young girl was only 55, on the cusp of maturity. _

_Her mother chuckled. "You will know when you find it. It will make itself known in its own way." _

_"I don't understand."_

_"You will one day." Her mother smiled. _

She understood now. It had snuck up on her like a rainstorm and struck her like lightning.

Kíli was her One.

Fíli looked to his brother, worry etched on his face. Kíli was sick, very sick. Oín was doing everything he could to help him but they were limited on supplies.

"I need herbs. Something to bring down his fever." Oín called.

Bard shuffled through his pantry. "I have nightshade. I have feverfew."

"Those are no use to me. Do you have any kingsfoil?"

Kíli yelled out, writhing on the bed. Fíli immediately went to his brother.

"No, it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs."

"Weed. Pigs. Right." Bofur stood. "Don't move." He pointed at Kíli before sprinting out the door.

Fíli paced back and forth, feeling absolutely useless. Oín wouldn't let him touch Kíli, he couldn't do anything besides fetch things Oín asked for.

He hoped Bofur would be quick.

Fíli had continued his pacing until the door opened.

He heard Sigrid scream and quickly whipped towards the sound.

He unsheathed his twin blades as the door opened. Sigrid ran through with and orc in tow.

"Under the table!" Fíli ordered the girls as he tackled the orc.

Tilda and Sigrid scrambled before hiding underneath the kitchen table.

More orcs came charging in, their snarls making the girls scream louder.

A pair of blades slashed through the orc in front of him. There was a flash of red and blonde before everything lie dead.

"You killed them all.."

"Come, Tauriel, there are others." The blonde elf said.

Kíli writhed again, screaming out in pain.

"We're losing him!" Oín panicked.

Her eyes grew wide. She did not follow him.

Bofur came running in, puffing for breath. In his hand he held a plant with small white flowers on it.

"Athelas." Tauriel whispered.

"..What are you doing?" Bofur questioned.

"I'm going to save him."

Fíli had never witnessed elven healing before. It was astounding and strange. She had chanted something until Kíli improved. Whatever the elf had done, it had worked.

"Fee." Kíli called, still dazed from the magic.

"Right here Kee." Fíli sat in the chair next to him.

"Where is Alís?" He mumbled.

"She left." Fíli replied.

"She is far away.." He slurred.

Kíli paused for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing in thought. "Do you think she could have loved me?"

Alís had felt the antsy feeling reseed and was finally able to get some rest.

But before she could enter a deep slumber the inn began to creak and crack in the wind. Alís awoke with a start, her heart hammering in her chest.

Blood curdling screams erupted from outside.

She was still groggy but scrambled out of bed and quickly slid on her boots.

Outside the inn all Alís could see was red. The flames were high, lighting houses like tinder.

Dragonfire.

Mahal help her.

She dashed down the dock, weaving through the blaze. The smoke was thick, she could feel it burning her eyes and throat.

The building behind her made a horrific creak before collapsing in on itself. Screams erupted from inside.

She let out a chocked sob as the flames got higher.

They did this. This was their fault. They woke the dragon.

Innocent lives would be lost and a city would turn to ash.

The smoke got thicker and thicker until she was gasping for air. She tried to run but she couldn't breathe. She choked on the smoke like a fish out of water. No air came and she tumbled to the ground with a thud.

Once the sun had risen the remaining people of Laketown gathered all they could salvage and began tending to the wounded.

Many searched for loved ones, the screaming of names erupted from the crowd.

"Alís!" Bofur called. They had all split up, looking for her.

Fíli hoped she made it out. She was strong, so the company held out hope.

"Alís!" Kíli yelled. His voice broke as he screamed. His heart was heavy like lead. He wouldn't stop until he found her.

He searched for what felt like hours until Bofur yelled for them.

She laid face down in the water, her hair splayed out like some sort of tangled crown.

Bofur was scrambling to pull her out, Kíli and Fíli rushed to help. The blood had drained from every one of their faces.

Oín was immediately on her checking for a pulse. "Her heart still beats." He mumbled.

"Do something!" Kíli yelled, tears streaming down his face.

"Alís!" Tilda screamed. She began sobbing as she ran over to the company.

"Save her Miss! Like you did with Kíli." Tilda tugged on Tauriel's tunic, tears streaming down her face.

"I-I can try." She looked down at the girl and wiped her tears away.

Tauriel kneeled down next to Alís and placed her hand over her face.

The company watched as she began murmuring something in elvish. She chanted it over and over until Alís sputtered.

Kíli quickly tipped her on her side as she coughed up water. He let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.

Alís opened her eyes after coughing for what felt like hours. She starred up to see the company looking down at her. She panted and caught her breath.

"Thank Mahal." Oín let out a breath. "Easy does it lass, you're going to feel groggy for a minute."

Kíli helped her sit up, his arm supporting her back.

"I- I feel awful." She mumbled, her nose scrunching in distaste.

Bofur let out a laugh. "You sound like you'll be right as rain in no time."

"I don't feel like it." She groaned. "What happened?"

"The dragon." Fíli said looking over to the smouldering ruins.

"Oh Mahal." She let out a loud sob. "The house! It- it collapsed and people were inside! I couldn't do anything!" She wailed.

Kíli rubbed her back, attempting to soothe her.

The company sat in silence as Alís sobbed into Kíli's tunic.

"Don't cry Miss Alice. It wasn't your fault." Tilda kneeled down beside her.

Alís gave her a sad smile. She pulled the small girl to her chest and let out another sob.

"Thank you, mizimith." She pressed a light kiss on the girl's forehead.

Alís noticed the red haired elf sitting next to her.

"You may feel the effects for a few hours, I am no healer." She spoke.

"Thank you, for saving me..." Alís wanted to know her name.

"Tauriel." She spoke.

"Thank you, Tauriel."

A blonde elf called Tauriel in elvish.

"I will take my leave." She said.

"Thank you, again. I owe you my life." Alís thanked.

Tauriel warmly smiled before walking to the blonde elf.

"Will you be leaving? Since the dragon is gone?" Tilda broke the silence, her voice small.

"I-I suppose I will be."

"I wish you could stay." Tilda nestled her head into the crook of Alís' neck.

"I will come and visit, I promise." She said.

"You will?! Really?!" Tilda asked excitedly. Her eyes twinkled as she looked up at Alís.

Alís nodded.

"We should get going, lass." Oín said.

"I will see you very soon." Alís told Tilda.

"I'll miss you." Tilda's eyes glistened.

"I will be back before you know it. Take care, mizimith." Alís stroked the girl's hair.

Kíli helped Alís to stand, his arm supporting her back. "Thank you."

He gave her a warm smile.

The others began walking towards the boat.

"Alís, I- uh. Could we talk for a moment? Just before we have to head off." Kíli asked, placing his hand on her arm.

"Of course."

He paused for a moment before taking a shaky breath. "Alís, amrâlimê. Menu tessu." He breathed out.

Alís' heart began to beat so quickly she thought it would burst. He loved her? Thoughts of Tauriel and Kíli's conversations in Mirkwood swirled in her mind.

Kíli's eyes were pleading. He felt his heart drop at the lack of response.

"Men lananubukhs me." Alís whispered. "But what of Tauriel?" She sighed.

His heart soared, she loved him! But when he heard the elf being mentioned he sobered. "Tauriel?"

"Your conversations in Mirkwood, I heard all of it." She starred at the ground, not finding the courage to look in his eyes.

"Oh Alís." Kíli sighed. "That was not real. I was going to convince her to give us the keys, but Bilbo showed up before-"

She cut him off with a kiss.

It took Kíli a moment to realize what was happening before he responded. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest.

Her soggy clothes and matted hair didn't matter anymore, nothing could ruin the moment.

They pulled away smiling. Alís caressed his cheek. "Kíli, zuê."

He pulled her back into his arms. "I love you." He breathed into her hair.

"And I you." She whispered back.

They stayed like that for a moment before pulling away.

"We best be going. The mountain awaits." She grabbed his hand and lead him to the boat.

Fíli stood there grinning at them both. "It's about time."

-  
You're right Fíli, it IS about time.

**Khuzdul translations:**

_"Alís, my love. You mean everything to me."_

_"I love you."_

_"Kíli, my One."_

_Uzfakuh_ \- My greatest joy  
_Amrâlimê_ \- My love  
_Menu tessu_ \- You mean everything to me  
_Men lananubukhs me_ \- I love you  
_Zuê_ \- (roughly translated by me) my one

Big thanks to the "Collection of Khuzdul" on AO3 and to the Dwarrow Scholar for providing Khuzdul resources!


	10. Madness

Gold. That was the first thing Alís noticed. Mountains of gold. It was more gold than she had ever seen before. She knew her kin had been wealthy, but this was absurd.

It glistened in the low light, the braziers creating an eerie glow. The sound of clinks from footsteps echoed around the hall.

"Gold." A whisper carried from down below. He sounded like a ghost, his voice void of any feeling. It made the knot in Alís stomach tighten.

"Gold beyond measure." Thorin's voice grew in volume.

Bilbo audibly swallowed, his face ashen. He had been right, they needed to leave, now.

It was a similar feeling to Mirkwood, everything was foggy and thick. It had taken hold of Thorin and driven him mad.

"Gold beyond sorrow and grief. Behold...the great treasure hoard of Thror. Welcome my sister-sons to the Kingdom of Erebor." His voice was laced with something Alís couldn't place. This was not Thorin.

"We need to leave." Alís whispered. The shock of it all had drained her cheeks of colour. She felt faint.

How could a mountain be so cursed?

She looked down for a brief moment to see Thorin caressing a colossal sized diamond. He looked deeply at it for a moment before tossing it to Fíli. "My Crown Prince, one day this will be yours. We must find the Arkenstone."

Kíli gaped down at Thorin. This was not his uncle. He had never once addressed Fíli by his title.

He looked to Alís for a moment, she extremely was pale. "Are you fairing alright?" He whispered before grabbing her hand.

"I'm fine." She breathed out, her voice shaking.

Bilbo began to slowly back out, he gestured for the rest to follow. Thorin didn't acknowledge their exit, he was too entranced with his gold.

Bilbo lead them down winding hallways to where voices could be heard.

"Bombur! Bifur!" Bofur called happily.

"Bless my beard, you're alright!"

"Alís?" Kíli's voice registered.

"Hmm?" She looked to him, eyes wide like saucers.

He quickly wrapped his arm around her waist as her knees gave way.

Oín's attention was on Alís in an instant.

"I need you to look at me lass." He instructed before holding out a finger. "Follow my finger with yer eyes."

She did as instructed, even though it was hard to keep her eyes open. She was so tired.

Oín let out a sigh of relief. "You have no head injuries, thank Mahal. You need to rest lass, you're extremely fatigued."

She was exhausted. More exhausted than she had ever been. Her eyelids felt like boulders and her legs felt like sponge cake.

"There are some rooms we've cleared for sleeping." Bofur gestured. A sigh of relief left Alís mouth as she was helped towards the rooms.

She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

"More rocks!" Thorin ordered, making Alís cringe.

He had lost his mind.

Shortly after Alís had fallen asleep, Thorin ordered everyone to fortify the mountain. Now that the dragon was dead, many eyes would be turning to Erebor for its wealth.

He was hoarding the gold away like a squirrel preparing for winter.

She understood that the fortification would dissuade any thieves from taking it by force. It was necessary, but no less insane. And he awoke her. She was not pleased.

Thorin had paced around the entrance until the last rock had been placed. Once he had examined it and deemed it worthy, he murmured something about ravens and walked off.

Later that night, the company sat around a wood stove, keeping out the chill from the cold stone.

Alís starred into the flames as she laid her head on Kíli's shoulder. Many members of the company gave Kíli questioning looks. Everyone refused to bring it up, not wanting the lass to feel uncomfortable. They would be sure to give Kíli a good ribbing later.

Once they had all settled down for bed, footsteps were heard. He had entered like a ghost, his face pale in the low candlelight. "Balin, Kíli, Alís, come." Thorin ordered.

Kíli looked over to Fíli, silently asking his brother for reassurance. Everyone was dead quiet.

"Thorin, it is late. We all need to rest, can this not wait until the morning?" Balin sighed, his voice full of reason.

"I am your King! There will be no resting while I request council!" Thorin growled.

Alís felt a shudder go through her back at Thorin's harsh tone. Balin was a extremely respected member of their company, never had Thorin spoken a word of disrespect to him, until now.

Balin sighed a deep sigh. "We all follow you willingly, but an old dwarrow needs his rest."

"Quickly." Thorin turned and left.

Alís looked to Balin, sadness etched on her face.

"He is not in his right mind..." He stood with the help of Bofur.

"More like lost his bloody mind! What does he want?" Dwalin growled.

"Let us go, the sooner he is appeased, the sooner I can rest my bones." Balin spoke.

Kíli took a hold of Alís' hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Dwalin stood, following Balin out the door. He wasn't going to let Thorin speak that way to him any longer.

They walked into the throne room to see Thorin sat upon his throne, the raven crown proudly sitting on his head.

"We need to secure the throne further." Thorin said starring at Kíli.

"What do you need, uncle?" Kíli asked, his mouth dry. He had never been scared of his uncle, but the crazed look in Thorin's eyes made his stomach drop.

"You must wed before tomorrow, we must secure the line further. I know you have found your_ One_." He eyed Alís like a hungry wolf.

Kíli felt faint. "M-marriage? But we've not properly courted."

"I am your King!" He roared. "We need to secure the line!"

"Now, now, Thorin, the lad is right. They have not been through the proper courting process. You know it will not be a legitimate marriage if they do not court properly first." Balin sighed.

Thorin's eyebrows furrowed in distaste. "How long will it take to complete?"

"Six months." Balin said before clearing his throat.

"That is too long." He murmured.

"None of the ceremonies have been completed. She hasn't even had her stone ceremony Thorin." Balin huffed.

Alís' mouth had been agape since Thorin began speaking. Who was he to demand when she marry? No one was forcing her into anything, King or not.

"My what?" Alís brows furrowed.

"Your stone ceremony. It is a coming of age ceremony for young dams. You do not hold the stone clasp in your hair." Balin explained.

"Oh." Is all she could say.

Stones? Proper courting? Marriage? Dwarven culture was undoubtedly more complicated than she ever anticipated.

"Are ye certain she's your _One _lad?" Dwalin crossed his arms. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Have ye, you know?"

"Yes." Kíli's face turned a rosy shade of red.

"_What?_ Mahal, I have no idea what any of you are going on about." Alís groaned.

"It will all be explained in due time." Balin pat her on the shoulder.

Thorin sighed. "We will go through proper courting ceremonies after the mountain is secure. For now, I want a chaperone escort them. We must do this properly."

He walked away muttering to himself, not acknowledging anyone as he left the room. He was mad as a hatter.

-

_Alís after she heard what Thorin wanted: _


	11. Promise

Everyone had returned to their respected rooms later that night. Alís had been assigned one of respectable size.

It was located through a series of winding hallways decorated with lavish carvings. Alís still couldn't believe how large Erebor was; how people navigated it was beyond her.

The room was coated in a thick layer of dust. Portraits and drawings dotted the dressing table, though, they were too dirty to make out.

Who had once lived here? There was a possibility they were still alive and residing in Erid Luin. It felt wrong being in someone's room, but it was necessary for her to rest.

Only once Alís cleared most of the dust out of the blankets was she able to lay without coughing.

But sleep never came.

The room was stuffy and cold, the old heating systems Balin had talked about were no longer in working order.

She tossed and turned before giving up and getting out of bed. Tired was an understatement, Alís's exhaustion was beginning to creep up on her.

She knew the bags under her eyes were as large as Erebor, though not as spectacular. She thought a swamp hag was much more fitting of her current appearance.

She ran her hands down her face, her skin feeling dry and irritated. The sweet and luxurious Elven soaps felt a world away. Had that really been only a few weeks ago?

She closed her eyes for a moment and thought of Edoras, the soft wind coming though the valley, the smell of freshly baked bread in the air.

As her eyes opened the same dark room greeted her. A small amount of moonlight shone in from small oxygen shafts leading outside. The fireplace had long gone out in her hours of rolling around in bed.

A chill wracked her body. She stood shakily, heading towards the fireplace.

She sat by the small fireplace for what felt an eternity. She poked and prodded at the fire with the fire iron. It sizzled as the old logs rolled over. The sparks rose and went upwards into the chimney shaft.

A small knock sounded at the door. Alís smoothed her nightgown and opened the door slightly. Kíli stood there with a slight sheepish look on his face.

"Is everything alright?" Alís opened the door for him. Kíli saw the tiredness in her eyes.

"Aye, I'm fine. I was just wandering around because I can't seem to sleep. I heard movement in here so I thought I'd check up on you." He moved closer to the fire.

Alís nodded and hummed. "You're welcome to join me, I was sitting in front of the fire."

He sat on one of the cushions Alís had placed down and wound his arm around her.

"You're exhausted." He stated plainly.

She hummed, leaning into him further.

He tucked a stray hair behind her ear, relishing in the softness of her hair.

Alís sighed in delight and sleepily laid her head on his shoulder.

He continued to run his fingers through her hair before stiffening.

Alís noticed his change in demeanour. "What's the matter?" She yawned.

"I haven't given you a courting braid yet."

"Oh." Was all Alís could say. She scolded herself for sounding so nonchalant.

"May I?" He asked, running his fingers through her hair again.

"Of course." Alís blushed.

He turned to gain full access to her hair and began running his fingers through the tangles. He gently brushed it out with his hands in an extremely skilled manner.

Alís closed her eyes and sighed happily. The soft repetitive movements were almost rocking her to sleep.

He stopped for a moment, making Alís open her eyes, wide awake.

She turned to look at him, he was removing his hair clasp. "What are you doing?" Alís asked gently.

"Giving you a clasp. I wish I had the materials to make you a proper one, but my family clasp will have to do for now." He held it out for her to see.

The carvings it held were spectacular. It held the crest of Durin dotted with deep blue sapphires.

"Kíli, it's yours, you should keep it. A braid will do just fine for now."

He shook his head. "I want you to have it." He ran his thumb along her cheek.

She blushed and turned to give him access to her hair again.

Alís felt him separate hairs just behind her ear and begin to braid. He took time and care as he skillfully wound the braid.

She heard a soft click as he placed the clasp on her braid.

"There." Kíli beamed at her.

Alís ran her fingers over it, admiring the beautiful four strand braid.

"It's beautiful, thank you." Alís grinned.

He simply smiled back and wrapped his arm back around her.

"Should I do yours? Although, I do not have a family clasp to put on your braid." Alís said solemnly.

"I don't need a clasp, a braid is more than enough for the world to know you're mine." He cupped her cheek, tilting her head up slightly.

His lips descended onto hers, the soft feeling sending shockwaves through them. Alís melded into him as his arms wound around her back.

A soft moan escaped her lips without realizing. She pulled away quickly, feeling warm. Her cheeks were a deep shade of crimson.

Kíli let out a laugh, admiring the red colour on the tips of her ears.

Alís huffed and made a motion with her hand, telling him to turn his head. He obliged and turned to give her access to his hair.

She ran her fingers through his hair, raking it with her fingers, getting out all the tangles. His hair was wild and knotted in many places. She gently shook out the knots, taming it.

"I'm not used to doing this.." Alís mused.

"And you think I am? Alís, I have courted no other." He replied.

"No, no, I mean I'm not well versed on braiding." She chuckled. "I never wear my braids."

Kíli had always wondered why she still wasn't wearing her braids. After the talk in Rivendell he was sure she would begin braiding. "Why not?" He asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

"I do not own any clasps. My mother owns few and I never was able to acquire my own." Alís hung her head down in shame.

"Amrâlimê, I will make you a hundred clasps if that is all it will take."

Alís tied off the end of his braid with his leather strap. He turned to face her before running his fingers over her courting braid.

"There are so many ceremonies I've missed, so much I need to catch up on..."

"And you will have them, I will make sure of that." Kíli reassured her, cupping her cheek with his palm.

"Thank you." She wound her arms around his neck and embraced him tightly.

They sat like that for a moment. Alís melded to him and relished in his embrace.

Alís' mind wandered. What happened now? The mountain was free from Smaug but there were still forces working against them.

"What are you thinking about? You look worried." Kíli asked softly.

"What is going to happen to us? The dragon is gone but I have a feeling this isn't over." She fiddled with the hem of his tunic, deep in thought.

He wound his arm tighter around her. "I don't know."

"I feel something bad is going to happen." Alís sighed, resting her head in the crook of his neck.

"We'll be ok, I promise." He rubbed her back softly.

Alís let out a yawn, her eyes drooping with tiredness.

"You should rest." Kíli urged.

"I can't though, as soon as I lie down I'm wide awake again." She murmured, half asleep.

Her head rested in the crook of his neck as she closed her eyes.

Kíli starred into the fire, his arm wound around Alís' back as she slept on his shoulder.

He waited until he was sure she was deeply asleep before gently lifting her up and placing her on the bed.

Her hair splayed out in a similar fashion to when he saw her body in the lake. A chill ran up his spine, he let out a deep sigh, the images still fresh.

His hand moved to stroke her cheek softly, he would make sure nothing happened to her, even if his life depended on it.

"Goodnight." He said softly before exiting the room.


End file.
